Piracy of intellectual property (IP) remains a major global problem, and it is important that the United States, along with governments around the world, maintain – and in many cases – strengthen efforts to combat such illegal conduct.
To that end, two reports released by the United States Trade Representative in connection with #WorldIPDay on April 26 contribute to an understanding of the scale of the piracy problem and the need to take measures to combat it. pertaining to global intellectual property rights in advance of World IP Day, which is celebrated on April 26. The USTR’s 2018 "Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets Report" identifies markets around the world that engage in and facilitate copyright piracy. And USTR's "Special 301 Report" is an annual review of the state of IP rights protection and enforcement globally.
Pasted in below is the statement of MPAA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin regarding the release of the two USTR reports:
“The film and television industry is a community of millions of creators and innovators whose daily work in the business and art of storytelling entertains and inspires audiences worldwide. In the United States alone, the industry employs 2.6 million Americans and contributes hundreds of thousands of dollars into local economies every day. The industry also generates a trade surplus with every major economy across the globe, producing a $10.3 billion aggregate surplus. Ahead of World IP Day tomorrow, the USTR rightfully shines a light on the foreign threats to our creative economy, specifically around online content theft.
“The Notorious Markets report makes it clear how criminals are profiting on the backs of American workers in our creative economy. In addition, the Special 301 report underscores this Administration’s commitment to protecting those workers’ intellectual property from those threats.
“Today’s reports highlight the global nature of piracy and demonstrate that all governments need to do their part in protecting intellectual property, fostering legitimate commerce, and protecting creators. We applaud Ambassador Lighthizer and the USTR staff for doing their part in recognizing some of the most critical challenges and committing to address them. We look forward to continuing our work with them to protect intellectual property rights and grow our creative economy.”
Posts
